Traveller's checks

You are settled with a family. You like the children, get on well with the parents and have a good network of local friends. Then the family announces they are moving abroad, and would like you to come too.

For the nanny considering working abroad, the prospect of moving with a family can be a less daunting prospect than going it completely alone. No wondering if you will get on with the family. Familiar faces to help you settle in. But cultural experiences aside, there are many questions about your employment status to consider.

1 Will I require a working permit or visa to work abroad?

This depends on where you are going to work. Within the EU red tape is minimal for all nationals of member states, with some differences for the countries that just joined in May. However, if you plan to stay longer than three months, you should apply for a residence permit at the local town hall or police station.

Outside the EU the situation varies and you should always check with the consulate or embassy of the country in question. In the United States a J-1 visa is required, as working as a nanny is prohibited on a temporary visitor visa. In Australia, a temporary stay of less than a year can be covered by the Working Holiday Scheme.

2 Will I have to continue paying National Insurance?

If the move is temporary, you will usually have to pay National Insurance for the first 52 weeks that you work abroad. Paying into a tax system does have its advantages when it comes to claiming sick pay and benefits.

Continuing to pay National Insurance will ensure that there are no gaps in your contributions when it comes to retirement age. The amount of basic state pension you will receive when you reach state pension age depends on the number of years you have paid or been treated as paying National Insurance contributions. You can find out the state of your National Insurance record by asking for a retirement pension forecast on form BR19, downloadable from the website www.thepensionservice.gov.uk, or ask for one by calling 0845 300 0168.

If your employers are planning on living abroad permanently, they might decide they want to use the tax system of that country.

3 Can nannies still pay into a British pension while living abroad?

If you are abroad for less than five years, you can continue paying into a stakeholder or personal pension. But contact your pension company or broker to let them know about it.

4 What if I fall sick while abroad?

In some countries, your employer is required by law to provide medical insurance. Many countries have a reciprocal agreement with the UK, by which you receive the same state health benefits as residents of that country.

Form E111, obtainable from post offices in the booklet 'Health Advice for Travellers', is important if you are going to work elsewhere in the EU for up to 12 months. Fill it in as you would when going on holiday, but send it away to the Inland Revenue's Centre for Non Residents in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Your employer should discuss sick pay with you before you go. If you are no longer paying National Insurance contributions you will not be due sick pay from the UK system.

5 When I get back, will I be eligible for Jobseeker's Allowance?

Yes. Whether you receive non-contributory or contributory Jobseeker's Allowance, at different rates, depends on whether you have been paying National Insurance or not.

If you have been paying into another EU country's tax system, you may be eligible for contributory Jobseeker's Allowance when you return home. This means that you can pay into the tax system in one country and when you return home, the other member state's insurance will be used to help meet the British contribution conditions.

6 I am all packed and ready to go. Are there any authorities I should contact to say that I will be working abroad?

You should let the Inland Revenue know so that the National Insurance Recording System can be kept up to date - important for helping keep an eye on deficiencies in your state pension record. Also, if you have been receiving any benefits you should inform the Department of Work and Pensions.

7 And what about on returning home?

Basically, you should contact all the relevant authorities you did before you left.